Every day an adventure'

 

“Mystery writing involves solving a puzzle, but 'high suspense' writing is a situation whereby the writer thrusts the hero/heroine into high drama.” – Iris Johansen

  

Born in St. Louis in April of 1938, Johansen was working as a flight attendant when she decided to try writing – bored with the romance novels she liked to read.  

 

After early successes in the Romance genre, she began writing Historical Romance suspense novels in 1991 with the publication of The Wind Dancer, then settled into suspense writing with her bestselling crime fiction thriller Ugly Duckling in 1996.   A self-described “voracious” writer, she now has written 116 books, her latest being On The Hunt in 2024. 

 

Writing is a family affair for Johansen.  Her son Roy is an Edgar Award-winning screenwriter and novelist and has co-written 15 books with his mom.  Her daughter Tamara serves as her research assistant.  

 

Her myriad fans say Johansen’s writing often leaves them spellbound. 

 

“The greatest compliment a writer can be given is that a story and character hold a reader spellbound,” she said, adding that she can’t wait to get back to her writing each day.  “Every day should be an adventure, not a treadmill.”